


i'd follow you (to the great unknown)

by so_larrily



Series: the greatest show [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Battle of Hogwarts, Don’t copy to another site, M/M, Prequel, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-20 08:24:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20224786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/so_larrily/pseuds/so_larrily
Summary: Years before Tony Stark and Stephen Strange were married, before they became Hogwarts professors, before they watched their son grow and succeed at the same school, they were schoolboys themselves, wizards-in-training, about to fight in the most famous battle in wizarding history: the Battle of Hogwarts.





	i'd follow you (to the great unknown)

**Author's Note:**

> I've definitely missed writing these characters. Ironstrange will never die on my watch. You don't need to read "dreaming with your eyes wide open" to understand this; just know that in that fic, Tony and Stephen have been happily married for years. Also, I followed the Battle of Hogwarts as told in the books rather than the movies. I felt the battle was told much better that way.
> 
> Please enjoy watching Stephen thirst for Tony while fighting to stay alive.
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I did not take quotes directly from the books. I don't own these characters, nor the song from which the title is from (another song from The Greatest Showman!).

“Thank you for that, Miss Parkinson. You will leave the Hall first with Mr. Filch with the rest of Slytherin House.”

Stephen follows the rest of the Slytherins out of the Great Hall, rolling up the sleeves on his gray jumper, fuming. Voldemort, the Darkest Wizard in history, is looming outside school grounds with a massive army and Professor McGonagall is _dismissing students_? Stephen can’t believe it. There’s about to be a battle, a _big _one from the sound of it. He’s not an idiot. He knows the enemy will outnumber the people inside the castle ten to one. They need all the help they can get, and yet she’s sending potential fighters away.

He hears more footsteps from behind him and sees Ravenclaw House following right behind them. The odds of winning this fight are becoming ever slimmer. It feels like there’s a knot forming in his stomach; the thought makes him sick.

Quickly, he nudges one of his best friends. “Mordo, this feels wrong.”

Mordo’s brow furrows. “What?”

“We’re abandoning our teachers and some of our classmates in their greatest hour of need,” Stephen says. “We can’t do that. We have to fight.”

He starts to turn, but Mordo grabs his arm. “Do you realize what you’re suggesting? This isn’t practice, Strange. People are going to lose their lives tonight, and we have the chance to get away. You could _die_if you stay.”

For a moment, Stephen considers Mordo’s words. His parents could lose their only son, and he wouldn’t even have the chance to give them a proper goodbye. But then he remembers the desperate look in Harry Potter’s eyes, while they were standing in the Great Hall just moments ago. _If only Pansy Parkinson hadn’t opened her big mouth. _He yanks his arm from Mordo’s grip. “I would rather die amongst my peers than live the rest of my life wishing I had helped. And I know I’m not the only Slytherin who feels the same.”

Stephen takes a step back away from the moving crowd, cups his hands over his mouth, and shouts, “Slytherin House!” He’s surprised when the majority of the House stops in their tracks, turning toward him. Even some of the Ravenclaws—and now Hufflepuffs—freeze. “Is this _really _how we want to be remembered?” he asks. “Do we want to be known as the House that abandoned Hogwarts in her hour of need? I don’t, and I know some of you feel the same way. Tonight isn’t about Houses or House Points. Our school, our friends, _need _us. Are we going to flee like dogs with their tails between their legs, or are we going to stand and fight?”

For a moment, nothing happens. There’re quiet whispers sweeping amongst the crowd of students. Then, one by one, Slytherin students turn away, continuing to follow Filch to safety. Stephen feels his heart drop. _Fine. _If he’s the only Slytherin who stays behind, so be it.

The crowd begins to thin, however, and he spots a small group of Slytherins stepping toward him. There’s five of them, including himself. One seventh year, one fifth year, and three sixth years. He spots Tony Stark and Natasha Romanoff from his year. Mordo is nowhere to be seen.

“Can’t let you have all the glory, Strange,” Tony chuckles. And _wow_, Stephen should not be making note of how _hot _Tony looks in his Slytherin Quidditch jumper right before battle, but here he is doing just that.

Stephen smiles.

The five of them march back to the Great Hall, weaving between the fleeing students. Stephen sees that about twelve Ravenclaw students stayed behind (he spots Christine Palmer, his best friend, and he vows to protect and stay with her at all costs). Even more Hufflepuffs are sitting at their table awaiting direction, and about half of Gryffindor House stayed behind. Some of the other students look shocked to see Slytherins returning to fight, something that doesn’t surprise Stephen at all. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger are nowhere to be seen.

Professor McGonagall has just finished barking out orders to the other staff members and the Order of the Phoenix members when she turns and spots the small group of Slytherins. Stephen can see her eyeroll from across the room as she storms over, looking disheveled. But before she can say anything, Stephen speaks.

“I know you told us to leave, Professor,” Stephen says, “and while I respect that, I can’t let my fellow classmates fight alone. I won’t.” He gestures to the group behind him. “And they feel the same.”

Professor McGonagall still looks furious, but Stephen sees the anger fade a bit from her features. “I suppose I can’t turn everyone away. And this is a very talented bunch. Very well, you can stay. Professor Flitwick will be directing the students who wish to fight. Thank you all for your bravery.”

Stephen grins. The other Slytherins start to fan out, some going to the Slytherin table and others mingling amongst the other Houses. Stephen is about to make his way to the Ravenclaw table when Professor McGonagall holds out a hand, stopping him.

“Thank you, Stephen,” she says with a small smile. “You should know my ill feelings toward your House stem from my own days as a student here. I have no doubt you feel similarly about my own House. It's just the House though, not the students in it. You’re one of the best students I’ve taught. Don’t forget your lessons in this battle, my boy.” She turns away, marching off to make more preparations for the upcoming fight.

Stephen walks over to the Ravenclaw table, Christine scooting over to make room for him.

“Stephen Strange, why am I not surprised to find you putting yourself in harm’s way again?” she asks.

He blushes. “I could say the same about you. You weren’t always the innocent one when we were growing up, you know.”

“Oh, believe me, I know,” she says.

There’s a moment of silence that passes between them. Stephen notices her eyes flitting around the room. She’s looking at the different groups of people: students and staff and so on.

“You’ve got your ‘lost in thought’ face on,” Stephen says. “What are you thinking about?”

Christine sighs. “All these people… we’re about to have the fight of our lives. This is literally the fight_for _our lives. Stephen…” Her voice lowers. “Not everyone is going to make it out of this castle alive.”

Despite thinking about the same thing earlier, hearing someone else say it sends a chill down Stephen’s spine. He finds himself glancing around the room as well. He spots the Weasley family amongst the Order of the Phoenix members. He sees people he’s known since he was just eleven years old, when he first walked onto Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, as a student. Scott Lang sits with a group of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws, trying to crack jokes with Hope Van Dyne. Steve Rogers stands with Clint Barton and Sam Wilson, the three of them locked in a deep conversation. Neville Longbottom chats with Luna Lovegood, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Ginny Weasley, their laughter echoing around the room.

There’s so much light in this dark time. The idea that some of these lights might be snuffed out tonight, including his own… Stephen can’t think about it. He hopes he hasn’t just brought any of his fellow Slytherins to their deaths.

He hopes that none of them die.

“We can’t think about that,” he finally says. “We have to focus.”

Christine purses her lips, seeming like she’s about to say something else, but she just nods.

While the time creeps ever closer to midnight, Voldemort’s deadline approaching rapidly, Stephen watches more and more people crowd into the room. The House Elves pile in, some offering treats to the students. Hogsmeade residents join to fight. All of these people, all these witches and wizards, coming together for this massive battle. Will it be enough?

Not long later, Professor Flitwick comes over to the students. He divides everyone into small groups. He directs some groups to stand guard at some of the castle entrances and doors while others will wait in the courtyards and other open parts of the castle for the battle to come to them.

Stephen is put into a group with Christine, Tony Stark, and Stark’s Gryffindor friends James Rhodes (who everyone calls “Rhodey”) and Pepper Potts. They’re stationed in a hallway near Ravenclaw Tower. Glancing outside (from this location, they have a perfect view of the main courtyard), Stephen can see the transparent shield protecting Hogwarts. He spots the enchanted suits of armor, waiting to defend the school, while groups of wizards and witches wait in the courtyard behind them. Stephen wonders if it’ll be enough to hold back the Death Eaters. He doubts very seriously that Voldemort will make an appearance unless he has to.

“Do they really expect us to stay here once the battle starts?” Tony asks. He’s sitting on the ledge of one of the windows, twirling his wand between his fingers. “I don’t want to stay in one spot the entire time.”

“Whoa, someone’s desperate to fight,” Pepper mutters.

Tony rolls his eyes. “No, but if there’s lots of action down the hall or in one of the courtyards or something, I’d rather help my classmates than stand here useless.” He glances to Stephen. “By the way, Strange, thanks for that pep talk earlier. Glad I wasn’t the only one who felt terrible leaving the fight.” He smiles, and Stephen feels a blush rise to his cheeks. He’s suddenly thankful for the castle’s dim torchlight.

“Of course,” Stephen says. “Thanks for standing with me.”

“With _us_,” Christine corrects. “We’re all in this together.”

Stephen suddenly gets an idea. “Hey guys, I’m gonna step around the corner for a moment. Want to send a message to my parents.”

Rhodey nods. “I might do the same, actually,” she says.

Walking away from the group, Stephen makes a right turn, finding himself on the same hall as the Astronomy and History of Magic classrooms. There’s another smaller group of students down there, but they pay him no mind. He kneels down and pulls out his wand, thinking of a fond memory where he and Christine went to Zonko’s Joke Shop in Hogsmeade. He’s only successfully sent a message through his Patronus once, so he hopes it can happen again.

“_Expecto Patronum_!” He watches as a white light erupts from his wand, taking the form of a white Labrador, which stares at him with anticipation. _Success._

“Hey, Mum and Dad, and Donna if you’re there. It’s Stephen. Not sure if you’ve ever seen my Patronus. Uh, listen, so there’s an army of Death Eaters about to march on Hogwarts. You-Know-Who is with them. I’m, um, staying behind to fight. This is what I feel is right, and I hope you’ll understand. But, should something happen to me, I just wanted to let you know that I love you all so much. I don’t know what I did to deserve such amazing parents, or a wonderful sister, but I’m so grateful. Thank you for everything. I love you.” He stands, nodding to the Labrador. It nods back and pounces away, leaving a trail of pale white light in its wake.

Stephen’s about to pocket his wand when he hears the clock strike midnight, then what sounds like glass shattering, followed by Tony shouting, “Stephen!” He takes off running. Pepper points out the window. He runs in that direction, leaning up against the ledge and staring out. His heart drops when he sees the transparent shield surrounding Hogwarts Castle and its grounds cracking, bits of shield flaking away into nothing.

“Oh, _Merlin_,” he whispers, his heart pounding so loud it sounds like thunder in his ears. This is it. It’s actually happening.

He spots a sea of black rushing toward the castle, screeching, wands raised. He sees black smoke rising from the group. _They’re Apparating. _That must mean when the shield cracked, _all _protection spells went with it. He sees giants battling with the suits of armor, swinging massive clubs that send metal armor flying. Death Eaters fire spell after spell at the armor, and although the armor army has managed to kill a couple of giant and several Death Eaters, it isn’t enough. It’s when the Death Eaters reach the Entrance Courtyard, suits of armor long forgotten, that Stephen sees the battle begin, spells being fired from all angles.

“There’re too many of them,” Tony breathes. “We have to help.”

“We _are_helping, Tones,” Rhodey says. “Defending the upper corridors _is _helpful.”

Stephen knows that no amount of practice, no late-night reading about difficult spells, is enough to prepare him for this battle. He’s going over every spell he can think of, his grip on his wand becoming tighter. Meanwhile, Tony stops pacing, leaning against the wall and sliding down, running his hands through his hair. Stephen finds that he can’t stop staring at the battle below. With horror, he notices several bodies on the ground already, hauntingly still. He turns his head, fear coursing through his veins.

After several shrill screams from below, Tony stands, gripping his wand. “I can’t take this anymore! I have to help them!” He starts to walk off, but Rhodey grabs his arm, protesting. Tony yanks it away. “I can’t stand here and listen to my classmates die, Rhodey! I volunteered to stay behind for a reason.”

There’s a moment of silence where the group stares at one another, unsure of what to say. Finally, Pepper speaks up.

“At least don’t go alone, Tony,” she pleads. “Take someone with you to watch your back.”

“I’ll do it,” every single person there says. Tony blinks, another wave of silence settling over the group.

Stephen steps forward. “Let it be me,” he says. “I’m the one who convinced us Slytherins to stay behind and fight. It’s only right that it be me.”

No one protests. They all know what they’ve gotten themselves into tonight. Tony makes eye contact with Stephen, and something flashes in his eyes. Relief? Guilt? Whatever it is, it’s gone in an instant.

While Pepper and Rhodey swoop Tony into a massive hug, he finds himself staring at Christine, her features concerned and afraid.

Christine walks up to him, fear in her eyes. “If you don’t make it out of there, Stephen, I’m going to raise you from the dead and kill you myself.”

Stephen can’t help but chuckle. “If you come fight, I’ll do the same to you.” There’s little humor in their words; Stephen’s surprised he can make a joke at all, considering he might be walking right to his death.

“I’ll stay here a bit longer with Pepper and Rhodey to defend the upper corridors if need be. If I don’t see much, I’ll see you down there.” They stare at each other for a second longer before she wraps her arms around him; he embraces her hard. They’d been through so much together. Practically best friends since birth, all through childhood and school, and now through their first battle. Surely, this isn’t where their great adventure ends. “Be careful, Stephen,” she whispers. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too,” he says. When she finally pulls away, she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. Even in the faint torchlight, he can see her cheeks turn a little red.

“All right, Stephen,” Tony interrupts, sighing heavily. “Let’s head out.”

Stephen offers Christine another small, reassuring smile before he follows Tony out.

They don’t run (there’s no point, really); rather, they walk at a quick pace, their wands out and at the ready. It’s a silent walk, but it’s not awkward. Tony and Stephen, having shared a dorm room since they were eleven, weren’t complete strangers. Would Stephen consider him a friend? Not really. Rather, they were acquaintances. They’d been partners in a couple of classes since their first year, but they were never really friends. Tony had always hung out with Gryffindors, particularly Steve Rogers (though, for some reason, he hadn’t seen Tony hang out with Steve since last year and had no idea why) and Pepper and Rhodey. Stephen mainly stuck with Christine, Mordo (whose friendship he was now second guessing), and a Ravenclaw named Wong, who he didn’t spot in the Great Hall that evening (he knows Wong would definitely stay and fight; there was so much chaos he just didn’t spot him).

As they grew, and Stephen discovered that he liked boys rather than girls, he began to notice little things about Tony Stark that he admired. Tony could think of a witty comeback on the spot. He was so passionate about Quidditch but understood that not everyone enjoyed it. He offered to help terrified first-year students navigate the massive castle to find their classes, despite not being a Prefect (that was a Prefect duty, as Stephen had found out during his fifth year). He was kind, caring, funny, and intelligent, and at the beginning of this school year, Stephen realized he’d developed a major crush on the Slytherin Chaser.

But Stephen didn’t even know if Tony liked boys. He’d been so tempted all year to make a subtle move on him, knowing that he’d likely be rejected on the spot. The changes that Professor Snape made once he took over as Headmaster made that very, very difficult though.

With the possibility of death looming over them, Stephen wonders if he should just… tell Tony how he feels. He wouldn’t be able to stand it if he or Tony died with those words unspoken.

What else does he have to lose?

Before he gets the chance to say anything, Tony speaks first.

“Stephen,” Tony starts, his voice a bit shaky, “on the off chance that one or both of us die tonight, I wanted to tell you that… I’ve always respected you.”

And, whoa, Stephen wasn’t expecting that. He was never a member of the popular crowd; in fact, most of the other Slytherins didn’t even know his name until he became a Prefect during his fifth year. “Really?”

“Yeah,” Tony says. “You take all the advanced classes, you’re a leader in the school. I even heard a rumor that you might take up an apprenticeship with Flitwick or run for Head Boy. You’re everything every student strives to be. Plus, what you did tonight, standing up for something you believe in, against McGonagall’s direct orders, that was very brave and something I would never do,” Tony says with a smile. “I’m just some dumb Quidditch player who parties and drinks Butterbeer till I’m sick.”

“Stop that, Tony,” Stephen says. He’s grateful for the dim torchlight in the halls; he can feel his cheeks blushing. “First off, thank you. Second, I always wished I was as cool as you. You’re popular, you’re friends with literally _everyone_, even professors. There’s more to school than just taking advanced classes and being a Prefect. You’ll be able to look back on all these cool memories of playing Quidditch and throwing parties in the common room and such. I’ve got memories of hanging out in the library and crying in bed over a poor mark on an essay.”

At that, Tony laughs. “You know what, Stephen? If we both make it through the night, we should hang out more.”

Again, Stephen feels speechless. “Uh, yeah, definitely.” Tony smiles and returns his attention to the hall in front of them.

Stephen can feel it. All these confessions are coming out now. Maybe now is the perfect moment to tell him. The sounds of battle are growing ever closer; he’s running out of time. He takes a deep breath.

“Tony, I—”

He doesn’t get to finish, because suddenly, a door at the end of the hall is blown off its hinges, landing just a few feet away from him and Tony. A masked figure stands where the door once was, and the figure starts running at them.

Stephen and Tony both hold out their wands and shout in unison, “_Stupefy_!” Red lights fly out of their wands and hit the figure head on, sending him flying back before hitting the ground with a loud thud. They look to each other in a panic.

“Want to stick together?” Tony asks.

“Absolutely.” There’s a moment of hesitation that passes over Stephen. He’s equal parts terrified and determined. This is… this is really it. He might step onto that battlefield, and that might be the last decision he ever makes. For a moment, he considers running away, Apparating home. But, he can’t. He has to stand with his classmates, his professors, his school. As overbearing as it is, Stephen tries to push that fear down, focusing on that courageous moment wherein he stood up to his classmates earlier that night.

Stephen and Tony, side by side, march toward the battle.

(Also, this should be the _last_thing on his mind, but if someone had told Stephen the night before that he’d be marching into battle with Tony Stark, he would’ve punched them in the face.)

The scene before them is absolute chaos. There’s no other way to describe it. Spells from duels fly all around them, sending an array of colors through the air. A couple of giants swing tree trunks at passersby, fighting against the few remaining enchanted statues. Parts of the castle walls and door are destroyed, debris littering the ground and filling the air with dust. But the worst part of it are the unmoving bodies Stephen sees around the castle halls and the courtyard. Some are obviously the enemy, but others… Stephen has to keep his eyes up; he doesn’t want to know any of the victims.

At that moment, a Death Eater sauntering about locks eyes with him. Stephen feels a rush of fear and adrenaline course through him, and suddenly he’s locked in a duel with this woman. It takes just a few spells and counter curses to knock her out. (At one point, an eerie green light flew way too close to his head.)

Stephen turns just in time to see Tony send another Death Eater flying back. The two of them continue charging into the fray, casting protection charms and offensive spells as they go. Several times, Stephen saves some students from the enemy, casting spells that should be far too advanced for him (but that he read about in books and thought to try now). He narrowly escapes death on multiple occasions; there are so many spells flying through the air that it’s like dodging bullets. He thinks he sees Harry Potter and his friends amid the madness, but he’s so focused on staying alive that he doesn’t have time to process it.

After what felt like hours, Tony and Stephen have a moment—just a moment—of quiet. At this point, the battle seems to be raging across the entire school; no hall or closet is safe. Stephen leans forward, his hands on his knees, breathing hard.

“You’ve got to do some conditioning, mate,” Tony says, and Stephen almost wants to punch him because he doesn’t seem to be having any problems breathing.

“Thanks,” he says, breathless. Once he’s got some air in his lungs, his breathing becoming even, he stands and turns toward Tony. “This is so much more terrifying than I anticipated.”

“Same here,” Tony agrees. They gaze at each other for what feels like hours, and Stephen feels butterflies in his stomach. Should he try telling Tony how he feels again? They’re about to charge back out into the chaos, so he _really _might not get another chance.

Stephen opens his mouth to speak, unsure of what exactly he’s going to say, when Tony’s eyes wander past him, over his shoulder, and grow wide. What happens next seems to occur in slow motion. Tony uses his free hand to push Stephen to the ground, knocking them both out of the way of a bright green light; it hits the wall and fizzes into nothing. He throws his wand arm out, _nonverbally _sending a red light flying down the hall. Stephen turns just in time to see the light hit a _massive_Death Eater, who falls to the ground in an instant. He returns his gaze to Tony, his arm still out, a determined look on his face. With horror, Stephen realizes that if Tony hadn’t seen that man, he’d be… dead. The Killing Curse would’ve hit Stephen square on the back.

_He just saved my life,_Stephen realizes. _Tony just saved my life!_

And that’s when it hits him. As he stares up at the boy his age who just risked his own life and threw him out of harm’s way, as he notices that Tony has cuts on his cheek and lip and his clothes and hair are covered in dust and soot, as he becomes aware of the sudden fact that he would do the same for his Quidditch-loving, caring, friendly, and hilarious boy, he realizes that he’s in love with Tony Stark. And that realization almost physically knocks him back.

_I’m in love with Tony Stark._

Tony, completely unaware of the emotions rolling through Stephen’s head at that moment, glances down at him, holding out a hand to help him up. As he rises to his feet, Stephen tries to speak, tries to say something coherent to thank him for what he just did.

Instead, he says, “I could kiss you right now.”

Tony just stares back at him in bewilderment and shock. He opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

And Stephen, meanwhile, is mentally wishing that he could throw himself off of Gryffindor Tower right now._Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Before he can say anything, however, a sharp ringing erupts in his ears—the same ringing they all heard when Voldemort first announced the deadline to turn over Harry Potter. The uneasy feeling makes Stephen’s knees weak, and he has to lean against the wall to keep himself up; Tony looks like he’s going to be sick.

_Harry Potter… You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. It pains me to see innocent magical blood spilled, all because you selfishly refused to come to me. I shall call back my forces and wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. Treat your injured, mourn your dead. If you do not come, I will not hesitate to slay every man, woman, and child who stands between you and me. One hour…_

In the moments that follow, Stephen notices that the sounds in the castle turn from chaos and madness to eerie silence. He glances toward the forest, watching as clouds of black smoke fly from the castle toward the trees; the Death Eaters must be retreating. He looks at Tony, wondering if he’s picking up on the change as well.

“We need to find the others,” Tony says after a moment. “We need to make sure they’re okay.”

Stephen nods. “Right.” Stephen’s awkward slip-up is suddenly forgotten.

It’s then that Stephen really gets a feel for how bad the damage is. Chunks of stone wall are strewn about the floor, as well as splintered wood and shattered glass. There are blood stains on the ground. Wizards and witches of all ages are scattered throughout the halls and the entry ways, some clutch their injuries while others catch their breath.

But worst of all… are the bodies strewn about the ground. No Death Eater bodies are in sight—it’s all students, or members of the Order of the Phoenix, or Hogsmeade residents. Some he can see are still breathing, still moving, just weakened. Others though…

Stephen feels like he’s going to be sick. He wants to cry. He wants to run away from the horror and just… cry. He can hear Tony sniffling beside him.

Professor McGonagall appears then, her face wet with tears, and begins giving orders to take the bodies to the Great Hall, suggesting the use of the levitation spell. She tells those who are injured to head the same way, where Madam Pomfrey and others wait to help treat them.

Stephen doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to use magic on the bodies, to pick them up, to even look at them. He’s afraid. He’s so afraid that he’s going to see the face of someone he loves. This entire time… he never spotted Christine once. Stephen doesn’t know the fate of his best friend, and that is a terrifying thought.

But… he knows he has to help. Others around him seem to feel the same hesitation he does.

It doesn’t take long to transfer the bodies to the Great Hall. He and Tony work silently alongside their peers, a sorrowful silence blanketing the entire castle. Stephen feels numb the entire time. He forces himself to look at the faces, checking each one to see if he sees his best friend. He never sees her, which both relieves and scares him. He has no idea where she is.

Later, Stephen finds himself in the Great Hall alongside Tony, sitting against the wall where the teachers’ table usually stands. He has a mug of tea in his hand, but it’s gone cold. They had barely spoken a word to each other since Stephen’s awkward slip-up, which feels like it was hours ago.

“Did… did you see them?” Tony asks, breaking the silence. His voice sounds weak.

“No,” Stephen replies.

He continues to gaze at the left side of the room, where the bodies of the dead lay. All of the tables were pushed away to create a bigger space for the number of people in the castle. He sees a family of redheads weeping over a single body on the ground. _The Weasley’s. _He sees other students kneeling beside bodies of their friends or family members, openly sobbing. He watches as Harry, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger walk into the room; Ron and Hermione join the Weasley’s while Harry slips away.

It’s the worst thing Stephen has ever seen.

“Stephen!”

His head whips toward the sound of the voice, relief washing over him as he spots Christine, Pepper, and Rhodey entering the Great Hall, an injured Wong between them. They take Wong to Madam Pomfrey and sprint toward them. Stephen jumps to his feet and engulfs Christine in a massive hug, feeling tears springing to his eyes.

_She’s okay._

“Oh my god, Stephen, are you hurt?” she asks, pulling away from him and pushing his unruly wavy hair off his forehead, examining him close. He spots a scrape on her forehead, but other than that, she appears completely unharmed.

“No, I’m fine,” he says, and it’s true. He’s got some cuts and bruises here and there, but now that she’s here, those things don’t matter.

“The battle found its way to us,” she explains. “We were still in the upper corridors when the Death Eaters were called back, but we searched the castle for anyone who might be injured.” Her eyes shimmer, and she embraces him again. “I’m just so glad you’re okay.”

And while he is so happy to see her safe, he does have a new realization that he has to share. “I have to tell you something,” he whispers in her ear.

“What is it?”

Stephen glances over at Tony, who claps Rhodey on the back before hugging him.

“I’m kind of in love with Tony Stark.”

* * *

Harry Potter was dead.

They heard the commotion before they saw it. Loud, maniacal laughter. Cheers of joy and victory. And then, a booming voice from the Entrance Courtyard.

“Harry Potter is dead!” _It’s Voldemort_, Stephen realizes, his blood running cold. Whispers and gasps echo throughout the Great Hall. “The battle is over. Come out and kneel before me. Swear your allegiance to me, and I will spare your lives. Anyone who resists will be slain.”

It’s like a madhouse, everyone rushing to the Courtyard. Stephen stays with his group of Tony, Christine, Pepper, and Rhodey as they elbow their way through the crowd, eventually landing upon the Courtyard. And what Stephen sees caused chills to run down his spine.

Beneath the orange and pink and pale blue sky, the morning sun just peeking over the horizon, he sees the Death Eaters marching across the bridge toward them, Voldemort and Bellatrix Lestrange leading the way. He spots Hagrid right away, his large figure sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the enemy. And… in his arms… was a limp figure. Stephen hears screams and cries from their side. Christine puts a hand on his elbow, hiding her face against his arm; he feels her shaking. He keeps his focus forward, however, his fingers gripping his wand as Hagrid places Harry’s body on the ground.

“Silence!” Voldemort cries. He gestures toward Harry’s body. “You see? Harry Potter is _dead_!” Screams and protests come from the Hogwarts side; Stephen stays silent. “You see? You idolize him, place him on a pedestal. He was nothing more than a boy. We spotted him running away, trying to save himself. If you wish to follow in his footsteps, be my guest. But those who want to live—” he spreads his arms wide “—come join me.”

And suddenly, Neville Longbottom of all people bursts through the fray, wand raised. But Voldemort easily stops him, taunting him about his parents and asking him to join his army.

“I’ll never join you! None of us will!” Neville shouts, and this time, Stephen joins the crowd in cheering for him.

But the shouts die when Voldemort casts another spell that causes Neville to tense, standing straight up, unable to move. _The Body-Bind Curse. _Voldemort raises his wand again, and Stephen hears a window in the distance shatter before spotting something that lands in Voldemort’s hands. The Sorting Hat. He walks over to Neville, placing the hat on his head.

“From now on,” Voldemort explains, “there will only be one House. Only Slytherin will remain, the perfect House for all magical students. Isn’t that right, Neville?” Voldemort raises his wand toward Neville. “And if anyone dares oppose me, let this be a demonstration of your fate.” He flicks his wand, and the Sorting Hat catches on fire.

And… at that moment, as screams echo around him (maybe even coming from him), he hears the sound of feet thundering on the ground, growing louder. As both sides turn toward the sound, Stephen sees Neville break free of the Curse, ripping the Hat from his head.

“Oh, Merlin,” Christine whispers, pointing toward the sound.

It’s a crowd of wizards and witches and centaurs and House-Elves and giants, all running toward the school, wands and weapons raised. Some look like they’ve only been out of school for a few years, while others are It’s also at that moment when Stephen’s eyes flicker toward Harry’s body, only to find it missing. He doesn’t get to contemplate it for long, though, because suddenly, Neville pulls the Sword of Gryffindor from the Sorting Hat, beheading a giant snake that was slithering its way toward the Hogwarts crowd.

“Harry’s body!” Hagrid suddenly bellows. “Where’s Harry’s body?”

_Harry is alive_, Stephen realizes. He doesn’t know how, but that’s the only explanation.

And then, chaos ensues.

They’re suddenly back in the heart of a massive battle. The thundering herd of approaching witches and wizards and magical creatures run toward the castle. Death Eaters raise their wands and march toward the castle entrance. The students and teachers—Stephen and his group included—retreat back inside just in time for the Death Eaters to clash with them in the castle corridors.

Somehow, this second round of battle is more intense than the first. The air is filled with magic sparks and smoke and dust. Stephen and his group are almost trampled by students and teachers fleeing inside the castle. Determined this time to stay as close to Christine as possible, Stephen grabs her free hand, and together they run through the castle. When they duel with Death Eaters, they immediately go back-to-back, determined to protect each other. Through the fray, Stephen notices that Tony, Pepper, and Rhodey are close behind them; it sends a slight wave of happiness through Stephen.

As the battle continues, however, things go from scary to downright terrifying. Despite having so many new witches and wizards on their side now, the Death Eaters still continue to rain down hellfire. It’s like knowing that Harry Potter somehow cheated death once again has lit a new fire underneath them. Stephen sees horrifying green lights flying across each and every hall and corridor he walks into. He sees people convulsing on the ground and more unmoving bodies.

He truly can’t believe he’s managed to survive this night.

It’s when he and Christine enter one of the courtyards when someone runs right through his and Christine’s clasped hands. Stephen’s heart stops as her hand is ripped from his, and he turns to find her gone. His breathing increases, and he shouts, “Christine!” It’s in vain, however, because he just can’t see her.

_She’s one of the smartest people you know_, he tells himself, trying to calm his nerves. _She’ll be fine._

He knows that, for his own safety, he has to keep moving. Standing in one place for too long could be a fatal mistake. He gulps and continues moving, casting protection spells as he runs.

Stephen ends up spotting Tony in the middle of a duel with a masked Death Eater near the Charms classroom. Tony fires a red light at the Death Eater, who easily dodges it and throws his wand up, a white light launching from the tip and hitting Tony square on the chest. The world around Stephen seems to move in slow motion as he watches Tony’s arms and legs seize up, snapping together before he falls back, hitting the ground with a sickening thud.

Amid the chaos around him, Stephen can hear the Death Eater laugh and start to stalk toward a now helpless, body-bound Tony, pointing his wand at Tony’s chest.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Stephen mutters. His vision tunnels, only focusing on Tony and the Death Eater, and he takes off running toward them. He raises his wand, thinking of every offensive spell he can.

The Death Eater laughs again, and Stephen’s blood runs cold as he hears, “_Avada—_”

“_Pertificus Totalus!_” The white light bursts out of Stephen’s wand, so bright that it stings his eyes, and hits the Death Eater on the shoulder before he can finish saying those fateful words. The Death Eater seizes and falls back, in a similar manner to how Tony did just moments before.

_How’s it feel to get a taste of your own medicine?_

Stephen kneels beside Tony and quickly raises his wand once more, uttering the spell, “_Protego duo._” Immediately, he sees a pale white light form over the two of them, shielding them from outside spells. He turns back to Tony, still and unmoving, though his eyes are locked with Stephen’s, full of gratitude and fear. He gently places his wand on the center of Tony’s chest. “_Reparifors._”

Tony shoots up from the ground with a loud gasp, his hands patting at his chest, his arms, his legs, his breathing heavy and frantic.

“Tony,” Stephen says, but the other boy doesn’t hear him. He continues to rub at his legs and arms, his movements quick and anxious. _He’s still scared. _Stephen shifts his position until he’s sitting in front of Tony. “Tony, look at me!” He still doesn’t, and Stephen notices he’s started muttering to himself. Concerned, Stephen quickly places his hands on the sides of Tony’s face, shouting, “Tony!” That seems to knock him out of whatever stupor he was in, his eyes searching Stephen’s face. “You’re safe, all right? You’re okay.”

For a moment, Tony locks eyes with Stephen, a thousand emotions swimming in his chocolate brown irises, and then, he does something Stephen was _not _expecting.

Tony reaches up, gently cups Stephen’s neck, and pulls him forward until their lips touch.

Is Stephen shocked? Absolutely. But he… doesn’t pull away from the kiss. It’s short and sweet, and when Tony pulls away, he gazes at Stephen with admiration, gratitude, and… adoration. “Thank you,” he says, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

Stephen is speechless; he’s still staring at Tony in shock, but the butterflies that appear in his stomach anytime he talks to the Slytherin Quidditch player are fluttering like mad. He realized he _loves _Tony just mere hours ago, and now the other lad is _kissing him_?

Someone needs to pinch him because he _has _to be dreaming.

He watches as Tony’s eyes wander away from his, and he looks around with curiosity. “Stephen, look,” he says, pointing to their surroundings.

Stephen, who doesn’t want to stop staring at the boy sitting in front of him, tears his gaze away, following Tony’s finger. All around them, Death Eaters are Apparating away, leaving clouds of black smoke in their wake. Some were in the middle of duels, the wizard or witch they were battling left confused.

“What’s happening?” Tony asks.

Then, Stephen remembers. _Harry is alive. _“Could… could Voldemort be…”

_Dead?_

Stephen notices that the witches and wizards and magical creatures all around them are running in one direction… toward the Great Hall. He quickly snuffs out the protection spell cast around them and rises to his feet, holding a hand out to help Tony up. “Come on, we’ve got to go!” He helps Tony to his feet, the other lad struggling to steady himself for a moment, and the two take off toward the Great Hall.

It's extremely crowded by the time they arrive, fellow students trying to elbow their way in to get a glimpse at… something. Whispers, gasps, and occasional round of applause, and the sounds of crying echo around the room. The two of them are able to squeeze enough to make it inside the room, but they still can’t see what everyone is looking at.

Tony looks at him and huffs. “You’re tall. Tell me what you see!”

“I’m not _that _tall,” Stephen argues, but he tries anyway, using Tony’s shoulders for balance as he stands on his tiptoes, trying to make himself as tall as possible.

It’s enough. The center of the room is empty, except for a few people. One is Harry Potter, standing at one end, hugging Ron and Hermione, not caring that there’s at least a hundred wizards and witches gawking at them. At the other end, a pale, unmoving figure lies on the ground, his face frozen with one final scowl.

Stephen drops back down, relief and joy flowing through his veins.

“Well?” Tony asks, impatient. “What is it?”

Stephen manages a smile. “Voldemort is dead.”

* * *

The next couple of hours go by in a blur. Friends are reunited with friends, siblings with siblings, parents (those who came to fight, at least) with children. Stephen and Tony, hand in hand (Stephen had to bite back a _scream _with Tony grabbed his hand completely unprompted), reunite with Christine, Rhodey, and Pepper for the second time that night.

Others aren’t so lucky. It’s hard seeing so many people mourning the loss of their loved ones. The halls are quiet, except for the sounds of sobbing. Stephen feels so grateful that he didn’t lose anyone during the battle.

Lots of other things happen during that time. Aurors from the Ministry come to take any remaining Death Eaters into custody. House Elves begin bringing trays of breakfast food up from the kitchens, offering food to anyone they come across. Some students head back to the dormitories to get some much-needed rest.

Stephen sends another Patronus message to his family, just to let them know that he’s alive and to beg them not to ground him for risking his life to fight, before returning to Tony’s side in the Entrance Courtyard. Pepper and Rhodey head back to the Gryffindor common room with others from their House. Christine is off somewhere helping to tend to the injured.

It’s just… him and Tony.

The kiss comes floating to the front of his mind. Stephen was immensely shocked when it happened, but… thinking about it sends a wave of happiness through him. And, despite just having a crush on Tony when the night began, he ended up discovering that there’s a part of him that _loves _the Slytherin Quidditch player.

He wants to talk about it. He finds himself wanting to kiss Tony again, to get to know him even better and fall more and more in love with him. He wants to protect Tony, to embrace everything about him, to just… _be with him._

“So… what does it mean?” Stephen asks, butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

Tony turns toward him, a brow raised. “What?”

“The kiss,” Stephen says.

Tony blinks. “Oh. _Oh. _Um, it means… thank you.” Tony starts rubbing his hands together, blinking rapidly. “Uh, yeah, thanks for having my back out there.”

Stephen feels his stomach drop. Tony must’ve just been in the heat of the moment when he kissed him. (But, who kisses someone in the heat of battle?) With a sigh, Stephen says, “Oh, all right. I just thought—”

“Would you like to hang out sometime?” Tony interrupts. “Maybe get a butterbeer or something?”

Now it’s Stephen’s turn to do a double take, his brow furrowing. “Wait, what?”

“I…” Tony trails off for a moment. “I like you? Like, not just a ‘like’ like we’re friends, you know? I mean… _like _like. And, I’d really like to get to know you outside of class. I want to know _you. _And, no, this isn’t just because I kissed you. I mean, I _really _like you. And, I hope you like me back?”

Tony doesn’t know the half of it.

Stephen rests his hand on Tony’s, giving it a gentle squeeze, and smiles.

“I’d love that.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave comments/kudos if you enjoyed this story. 
> 
> Would you like to see another one-shot in this series? How about an entire fic about Tony and Stephen from this point on? Comment your ideas below!


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